Can-opener.



W. A. ZIETZKE. G AN OPENER. AYPLIGATIOQI NLRB 00124, 1911.

1,012,78?, Patented Dea 26. 1911.

mmm/hoz UNITED STATES PATENT orrron.

WILHELM A. ZIETZKE, or Bozeman, MONTANA.

CAN-OPENER.

i Specmcatoli of Letters Patent.

j i.. j.

Application filed October 4, 1911. Serial No. 652,759.

- To all'wto'm tt may concern:

Be it known that I; VILHELM A. Zrn'rznn,

'la citizen of the United States, residing at,l Bozeman, in the countyof Gallatin and State of Montana, have invented a new and 'j usefulCan-Opener, of which the following is a'specitcation.

The present invention relates to improvements in can openers, and therimary object of the present invention is t v1e provision of a shankprovided with 'a can piercing end or terminal and a projection adaptedto co- :act with the said lterminal when the same is in cutting ositionto prevent the too far .insertion of the cutting terminal, incombination with an adjustable yoke or trame disopener, having disposedfor longitudinal movement thereupon a frame' carrying a stationarycutter and anti-frictional tapered roller, the said cutter being adaptedto cut the metal at the top of the 'can while the roller is disposedupon and against the outer wall thereof, thus providing anti-frictionalmeans lduring the rotation ofthe shank by a handle, the terminal of theshank being provided with a top engaging portion adapted to be held atthe proper centered or relative position.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which. will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement\ of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of invention herein disclosed can be within the scope of whatis claimed'without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings-Figure 1 is a side elevation of the complete device aportion of the can being shown in sections to den `onstrate theoperation of the device. Fig. 2 is a portion of the shank with theadjustable frame carrying the cutter and anti-frictional roller disposedin section thereon. Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the cutting l'end ofthe opener. largedsc'al'e demonstrating the rrim 'curling operation of the cutting bladeandtapere'd Referring to the drawings,thenumeralil Patented lice'.

Fig. 5 is a side elevationonani, enL

designates. the shank which is preferably *i rectangular or square incross section landis provided at one end with agripping handle 2 and atthe other endwiththe can piercing hook orprong 4, which as shownprovides a throat 5 upon the outer portion of the curved end 3 of theshank terminating in the top engaging lug or projection 6, Whereby thetop cutting terminal 4 is adapted .to

be forced into the cover andthe shalnk turned at the will restupon'thetop of the can thereby limiting the projection or intrusion of. theprong or cutting point4 through the top of the can, the throat portion 5accommodating proper angle so that the lug 6 the metal of the top andwithf'the bodyof the shank forming a pivot forthe openers? Mounted foradjustable and sliding move#- a rectangular open `frame 7, provided withan adjusting screw 8 9, whereby the said frame may be adjusted upon thelshank and held there at any desired adjustment. of the frame 7 to t-hescrew 8, is provided a cutter 10, which is provided with 'the vinwardcurved face 11 and .the outer convexedv face 12, the said cutterbeing'so positioned as to cut the] top of the can as illustrated in Fig.1, the 'same being adjustable by means of the frame, so that the variousdiametered cans may have their tops removed therefrom.

Then in use the cutting prong 4 is adapted to enter the top of the cancentrally.

thereof and be limit-ed in its .downward movement by means of the lug 6which acts as a fulcrurn to bring the shank 1 down with the frame 7 sothat the cutter- 10 is forced through the top of the can adjacent theouter wall as clearly illustrated, so that t-he anti-frictional roller14which is carried by the spindle or screw 13 will span the lsaidwall,the space 15 between the cutter and the Upon t-he opposite side 1mentl upon the square shank of the opener, is

provided .with a wing Y anti-frictional roller 14 litting upon the reimaining portion of the top of the can and the upper portion of the wallas clearly illustrated, thereby providing an anti-friotional bearingexteriorly of the top of the can and at the same time acting as a meanslto assist in the cutting of the top tlerefrom.

the operator du, "ng the rotation oit the shank l through the handlel 2,slightly beare ing down, so that the roller lll Which is spaced from itslower ends to its top, Will produce a clamping action upon the top `edgeof the wall of the can and thereby assist the cutter to cut the top fromthe can and properly grip the upper edge ofthe can during the cuttingmotion. At the same time by producing the antifricti`onal roller thereis not the great amount of friction against the outer face of the can aswould be the case during rotation, if the same Were a stationary,immovable or fixed surface. Further as shown in Fig. 5 the can C willhave its short rim c curled or turned downwardly to present a hoodaround the rim of the can when t-he top c is entirely removed.

From the foregoing description taken in connection With the drawings, itis apparent that by producing a can opener with a shank l made invrectangular or square in cross section, as indicated, that the frame 7will be permitted to slide thereupon but will have no rotative movementwith regard to the same, and therefore the cutting blade l0 and theroller 14 Will be upon the proper side of the same so that when thedevice is in the position as shown on Fig. l, the cut* ting blade 10will enter the top and the vanti'rictional roller will engage the outeramara? top edge of the Wall of the can vand thereby y assist in thecutting operation. Further by making. the said frame 7 adjustable atwill,

upon the shank l it is evident that any diframe surrounding the shank,means to lock i the frame to the shank, a cutter carried by the frame,and a truncated conical roller carried by the frame in coperablerelation to the cutter, whereby the cutter and roller when forceddownwardly and rotated by the shank will engage t-he rim interiorly andeXteriorly at opposite points to Wedge and turn-in the portion of thecan remaining l attached to the interior of the rim of the can.

Intestimon as my own, .have hereto aflixed my signature in the presenceof two Witnesses.

VILHELM A. ZIETZKE.

' lfitnesses:

G. Y. MONTGOMERY, EMIL AUG. ZIETZKE.

that I claim the foregoing-

